#leo mitchell

‘Did this years back as a means to vent my frustrations. I was really upset at the time. So I looked to my favourite superhero, Batwoman, for inspiration. I just wanted to find some sort of comfort. Taking back to when I would read her comics during my shitty school years. Just do a little scribble something in my sketchbook and not think about it. Experimenting with the colours in Photoshop proved therapeutic. 

‘Finally got to do some Undertale fan-art around a while back. It was fun to depict Toriel in my own style, I was hoping to get just the right amount of detail while still keeping her cartoony and appealing. Looking at photos of real white goats.

While browsing through Tumblr, I re-found Zen Pencil’s comic-strip on Iranian Cartoonist and activist, Atena Farghadani. I felt so inspired that I immediately drew this sketch – she’s such a beautiful woman and incredible for what she did. AT some point I’d like to come back to her and do a fully coloured piece.

 It’s sad to hear that the Iranian Government imprisoned her in 2014 just for drawing a cartoon that criticised them; depicting the Iranian parliament as animals to protest a law that would limit women’s access to birth control. Things only got worse for her in prison. Being subjected to beatings, strip-searches and virginity tests etc. Despite it all, I love how, even when she was locked-up, she kept stealing paper cups and flattened them out to draw on. I’m just glad that she’s free and didn’t have to serve the 12-year sentence they initially gave her - At least for now. 

Please Reblog but do not Repost.

I’ll provide some links so you can find out more about her:

https://www.amnesty.org.uk/iran-atena-farghadani-released-free-imprisoned-art-political-cartoons

Back in May 2018, I entered Planet Dolan’s Dolan Kart art contest. Tasked with designing a dark/spooky themed skin for a member of the PD cast for their mobile-app racing game. I drew Zaraganba as Aussie outlaw, Ned Kelly - in all his armoured glory! Complete with Zaraganba’s purple Cassowary steed. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from drawing this, it’s that I bloody love that purple cassowary. I’ve included a speed-paint video with commentary detailing the thoughts and process behind the design. #DolanKart

I was so honoured to be named as a finalist in the top 10 and put alongside all these other incredible designs. A big thank you to those who liked my design enough to vote for me.